


THE FALL

by MorphoFan



Category: The Venture Bros
Genre: Best Friends, Body Worship, Brotp, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Time Blow Jobs, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, M/M, Oral Sex, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-04
Updated: 2018-11-08
Packaged: 2019-08-17 15:54:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,013
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16519493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorphoFan/pseuds/MorphoFan
Summary: After nearly losing Monarch during a mission as The Blue Morpho and Kano, Henchman 21 realizes that his boss has become much more to him than just a boss or best friend. Takes place at the end of Season 6. (After "Red Means Stop," but before "The Rorqual Affair.")





	1. Part One

**Author's Note:**

  * For [speccygeekgrrl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/speccygeekgrrl/gifts), [Thanks for your comments and encouragement. :-)](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Thanks+for+your+comments+and+encouragement.+%3A-%29).



Takes place sometime between "Red Means Stop," and "The Rorqual Affair."

THE FALL

********************

Dr. Siegfried Klaw. 

The name makes him sound almost legit. Like a real doctor, a gentle man, someone who cares about the wellbeing of others.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Irving Klaw is a sick son of a bitch. I was almost glad when we added him to The Monarch's Pyramid of Peril. I had heard of this villain. He was a monster, and now The Blue Morpho and Kano were going to take him down.

Yeah, I know my moral compass doesn't exactly point due North, I mean, I'm a henchman for a Super-villain myself. But The Monarch at least has some semblance of a code of ethics.

Klaw has no such thing. He hurts, maims, tortures and murders anyone who crosses him. Man, woman, or child. It's gotten him onto The Guild's Shit List a bunch of times, already. He looks like your basic Mad Scientist, except that he has this massive, hydraulic metal claw in place of his left hand, which he uses to mangle his victims. 

The man is a soulless fuck. I can't make that clear enough.

So, of course, the moment he popped up on Wide Wale's Fiends and Family Plan, the boss was all gung-ho about going after him. I tried to explain to him that we needed more time to prepare, that this guy might be out of our league, but he wouldn't listen to me. Like he ever does….

Not that it matters. For all my complaining, The Monarch has me for keeps. He's my best friend, and I can't think of any scenario that could make me leave him…. Hench For Life…. And he IS my life… or at least the only part of my life that matters…. 

Uhh, what was I saying? Oh yeah, Dr. Klaw.

* * *

So now, here we were, having broken in to Klaw's swank upper-floor, apartment/laboratory, locked in hand-to-hand combat with his henchmen, attempting to get to the Doctor himself. 

It was your basic, spacious, studio-style apartment, but it was furnished with lab tables, workstations, Tesla coils… all your garden-variety Mad Scientist crap.

Plus, fish tanks. Apparently Klaw had a thing for tropical fish. There was a half-dozen huge, free-standing aquariums scattered throughout the place. I suppose even a sick fuck needs a hobby….

Anyway…, I was already on the losing end of my battle with an absolutely massive dude. He had gotten me into a chokehold from behind and it was all I could do to not to pass out as I clawed at his arms. 

Thankfully, Monarch, even though he was kicking and struggling in the bearhug of a second henchman, was able to dart my guy. Once I was free of the big thug, I charged across the room to help my boss.

"DOWN!" I barked, drawing back my fist. 

Monarch pulled up his legs and dropped to the floor, slipping through the circle of the man's arms. The baddie had a comically surprised moment of confusion before I cold-cocked him square in the face. I wasn't given the title of bodyguard for nothing, after all. As he crumpled in a limp pile, I took my partner's hand and pulled him to his feet. 

"Thanks, dude," he said, patting me gratefully on the shoulder. 

I blushed under my mask. Fuuuuuck. Every time Monarch touched me these days, this happened. He didn't notice, and I didn't have time to dwell on it, because just then, another wave of Klaw's baddies came at us.

I barreled toward a trio of them, slamming my substantial weight into their bodies, driving them backwards against the wall. A few of my legendary (in my mind, at least) punches, and they were all laid out on the floor.

"KANO… HELP!"

My partner cried out for me and I whirled with a snarl, ready to flatten someone. I turned just in time to see a another of Klaw's oversized henchman plunge Monarch headfirst into one of the fish tanks. The goon had Monarch's left wrist pinned to his back, and he was flailing wildly with his right arm. He struggled under the water as the big bastard held him there, a cloud of bubbles around his red hair.

I leapt across the long lab table separating us and rammed my shoulder into the thug trying to drown my partner, knocking him into the wall. I took a moment to haul Monarch up out of the tank, and he fell to the floor, coughing and spitting water. 

Before the other henchman could recover from my body slam, I snatched up Monarch's dart gun from the floor, and fired a couple of shots into him. Once that particular threat was eliminated, I re-holstered the gun and hurried over to where my leader still sat on the floor in a puddle, the waterlogged brim of his hat sagging over his eyes.

"Boss!" I shouted, kneeling beside him, "You OK?" I helped him to his feet, and he teetered groggily, removing his fedora and shaking the excess water from it.

"I swallowed a gourami," he burped, wetly, raking his sopping hair back from his face. He put his damp hat back on and waved my fussing hands away impatiently, "I'm fine, I'm fine! Where's Klaw?"

A door opened behind us, and we turned just in time to see our target disappearing through the door to the stairwell that led to the roof.

"There he goes!" I yelled, pointing, and we gave chase. 

Klaw had a head start on us, but we both had more stamina than that deranged, obscene old mad scientist could hope for. He started out a couple of flights above us in the stairwell, but we quickly closed the distance.

As we burst through the door onto the roof, I had to pause for a moment to catch my breath. We were a dizzying thirty stories up, and the moon and stars were distractingly beautiful, even with the light pollution of the city. When I heard footsteps crunching on the gravel not far from us, my predator instincts kicked back in and I drew the gun.

"Where'd he go?" Monarch demanded in a stage whisper, coming to stand at my elbow, "He's got no way off this roof but back down the stairs!"

"Well," I said, shrugging, "He COULD try and steal the Morphomobile," I pointed to our vehicle parked at the far end of the roof, "Not that he'll have much luck without the keys."

We both turned toward where I'd parked the car and headed toward it. We'd only gone a few steps, when I spotted a figure skulking along the safety railing near the edge of the roof.

"Over there!" I cried, pointing, and we charged in the enemy's direction. Klaw saw us and broke into a run, trying to circle back to the stairs.

Before I could stop him, Monarch sprinted ahead of me and lunged at our adversary. With a metallic whirring sound, Klaw swung his aptly-named ginormous metal claw at him. Thankfully Monarch ducked out of the way, and the claw sliced through a wide section of the guard rail at the edge of the roof like it was made of matchsticks.

"DUDE, GET OUT OF THERE!" I shouted, as I moved toward the two of them, trying to get a clear shot with Monarch's dart gun. 

But my fearless goddamned leader was having none of it. He leapt on Klaw, trying to force the bigger, stronger man to his knees. And to my horror, in no time the evil doctor had overpowered my overconfident partner.

"DROP IT, FATTY!"

I stopped in my tracks. The smug bastard was standing on the very edge of the roof, holding Monarch in front of him as a shield. Klaw's arm was coiled around his waist, and the deadly metal claw was at his throat.

Monarch looked more pissed-off than scared at his predicament, his dark eyes narrowed, one hand clutching at the metal one around his neck.

"OK," I said carefully, dropping my weapon and holding my hands up in a non-threatening way. I took a step toward them.

"STAY BACK!" Klaw cackled, leering. Hydraulics whined as he tightened the claw around Monarch's neck, "I'll kill him.... My claw will crush his throat like a beer can!"

I froze in place, trying to find a way out of the situation. Klaw was at the end of his rope, and he had my best friend as a hostage. I looked into Monarch's eyes and saw fear there, now, and it hurt my heart.

I weighed my options. I still had a drug-coated throwing star tucked into the cuff of my right sleeve. I could use it to render Klaw unconscious, but he was so close to the edge of the roof…. If he fell backwards, he might drag Monarch with him into the void.

I had to lure him away from the edge.

"OK, calm down," I called, keeping my hands visible to him, "Nobody else needs to get hurt. Just release The Blue Morpho, and you're free to go."

I dipped into my pocket and held up the keys to the Morphomobile, then tossed them to land between us. The bait.

"Take the car."

"What?" Klaw looked uncertain, glancing from me to the keys. He took a few steps toward me, forcing Monarch along with him. "You mean it?" he asked, suspiciously.

I nodded. "Just don't hurt him, that's all I ask."

He took another step. I mentally willed him to take just two more....

"Dude, no!" Monarch suddenly blurted, looking horrified, "You can't just let this sick fucker go!"

"SHUT UP!" Klaw snarled, tightening his arm around Monarch's waist, lifting him off the ground a few inches.

GODDAMNIT, Monarch....

Just then, the wind blew the stairwell door shut with a loud bang. Startled, Klaw took his eyes off me and I had to take my shot. I snatched the throwing star from my cuff and snapped it at my enemy.

Everything seemed to slow down. I saw the weapon cross the space between us. I saw it connect with the intended target, imbedding itself in Klaw's forearm at Monarch's waist.

The evil doctor instantly went limp, collapsing in a heap on the roof. But as I'd feared, the movement pulled Monarch off-balance. He stumbled backward over the other man's body, falling right through the gap in the railing. Arms flailing, he managed to catch himself at the edge, his lower half hanging off in space.

"NO!" I ran toward him with everything I had. I had to reach him. I had to reach him. I had to REACH HIM....

"KANO!" He shrieked, clawing frantically at the gravel surface of the roof, trying to get a purchase as he slid further toward the abyss. 

I dove and grabbed for him just as he slipped over the side, managing to snag his gloved hand in mine. His downward momentum yanked me forward, and I hooked my foot through the intact portion of the railing to keep from being pulled over with him.

He dangled from my grip, thirty stories above the street. 

"I gotcha, buddy!" I shouted down to him, tightening my hold on his hand with both of mine, "Just hold on!"

"I… I'M SLIPPING!"

Oh God, he was right. Despite my grip of iron, I could feel his hand sliding out of his glove. 

"TWENTY-ONE, PLEASE!" he wailed, terrified.

"Give me your other hand!" I shouted, gritting my teeth, trying to tighten my hold on him, "Reach up with your other...."

His glove came away in my hand, and he fell…, without a sound. 

All the air left my lungs as I wrapped my arms around my head and rolled away from the edge. I couldn't watch him hit the ground. My blood roared in my ears. I couldn't scream... my voice had left me. I felt like I would vomit.

Weakly, I dragged myself away from the ledge. I mean… I was half afraid I would follow Monarch to his death. I tried to get to my feet, but my legs wouldn't hold me, so I simply dropped back down and gave in to my despair. My voice came back with a vengeance, and I sobbed like a baby.

In the blink of an eye I had lost what I cared for more than anything in the world.... Once again, my best friend's empty glove had become a morbid souvenir, and I pressed it to my face.

"Kano."

The deep, resonant voice was familiar, but I was too distraught to care. I rocked back and forth on my knees in the gravel, wailing, destroyed. Monarch was dead. I'd tried to save him… and failed.

"Mr. Kano…. Hello? Oh, for God's sake... TWENTY-ONE!"

I finally looked up, and was greeted by the sight of a massive, red, mechanical steed, its metal hooves engulfed in flames. In the saddle on the great beast's back was the infamous, terrifying super-villain, Red Death, his black cloak billowing around him.

Side-saddle, slumped boneless against his broad, red chest was Monarch.

I staggered to my feet. Red Death gracefully dismounted, pulled Monarch's limp body into his big arms, and crossed to me as I stumbled forward. I reached out, and the super-villain gently laid him in my shaking arms. He was unconscious, but he was breathing, safe and alive.

"He's not hurt," Red Death assured me gently, laying his huge, skeletal hand on my shoulder, "Just fainted... not that I blame him, after THAT fall."

"Thank you," I croaked, holding my dearest friend to me, settling his lolling head on my shoulder, "Thank you…. How… how did you...?"

"Snagged him about halfway to the ground," the big man explained, with a wink, "You're damn lucky I was in the neighborhood." 

I just nodded numbly, gazing at Monarch's serene face, still not quite believing he was alive. 

"Is that…?" Red squinted past me, walking toward the drugged Dr. Klaw, laying a few feet from us, "Is that KLAW?" his voice took on that trademark guttural growl that made him so terrifying.

"Yeah," I mumbled, as my brain finally started to come back online, "You want him?"

"Oh, ho, ho YES," the great scarlet man chuckled, eyes glowing yellow, "Very much so. May I?" he gestured at the limp body.

"He's all yours," I replied. I watched as Red Death picked up Klaw by the front of his lab coat as if he weighed nothing. He crossed back to his horse and flopped the unconscious super-villain across the saddle.

"Thank you," he said, coming to lay his huge hand on my shoulder once more, "This deranged bastard has been on my list for some time, now."

"Sure, no problem," I mumbled, gazing down at Monarch again, holding him a little tighter.

Red Death was quiet for a long time, prompting me to look up. His eyes, though terrifying, somehow had an unusual softness as they studied my face. After a moment, he gave the tiniest of nods, as if confirming something to himself. He smiled slightly.

"Tell him how you feel, son," he said succinctly as he turned with a flourish of cloak and remounted his flaming horse, "Next time, you might lose him for real." 

With a final wave, and a menacing laugh, he spurred his horse. The huge mechanical monster galloped into the sky and vanished into the night.

I sagged to my knees and lowered Monarch gently to the roof, clutching his upper body against me. Burying my face in his hair, I wept again, this time with relief. It was like he'd come back from the dead. 

I couldn't tell you how he knew, but Red Death had me pegged dead-to-rights. I had fallen in love with my best friend, and it was time for me to tell him the truth.

Suddenly, Monarch's body gave a violent jerk in my arms, and he sat up with a cry of alarm.

"Twenty-One? Tw… Twenty-One?!"

"It's OK, I'm here," I said quickly, cupping his face in my hand, making eye contact with him.

He just stared up at me with those big, dark eyes, breathing hard. 

"I... I fell...," he mumbled, bewildered.

"Red Death," I explained, "He snatched you right out of the air on that flying horse-bot thing of his."

"...I don't remember." The confusion on his face was heartbreaking.

"You blacked out," I continued, brushing my thumb across his cheek, "But you're OK."

He looked into my eyes for a few more long moments, and I was about pour out my heart to him, per Red Death's instructions. But before I could speak, he leaned against me and pressed his face into my shoulder. His body shook, and I could feel tears soaking my neck. I closed my eyes and wrapped my arms around him, holding him tight.

"Hey," I breathed, "No, no shshshh…. Hey… hey... It's OK… I've got you… shh, I've got you…."

"Don't… don't let me go," he sobbed, winding his arms around my shoulders, his voice muffled against the crook of my neck as he clung to me, "Please… don't let go of me."

"I won't," I promised, "Shh… I won't." 

We stayed wrapped around each other there on the roof for a long few minutes. He held tight to me as I murmured little nothings of comfort into his hair. After a while, though, I figured we should probably leave the scene. It was already a miracle that the NYPD hadn't showed up, with all the commotion. 

The Morphomobile was parked at the far end of the roof. I looked from the vehicle to my traumatized partner, and decided to Hell with it….

"Hold on to me," I breathed against his temple. As gently as I could, I gathered him up in my arms, got to my feet and headed across the roof. He never loosened his desperate hold around me, never lifted his head. I wondered if he was even aware I was carrying him.

I came to the passenger door of the car, and somehow managed to open it with my foot, balancing with my precious burden. The gull-wing door rose, and I stepped back to give it room.

I leaned into the car and carefully placed Monarch in the passenger seat. He didn't let go of my neck right away, so I held him for a few more moments, moving one hand to weave through his hair. Then I gently disentangled his arms from around my neck, and he finally released me and sat back in the seat.

His eyes were still haunted, but the tears had stopped and he was breathing more calmly, now. 

"You gonna make it?" I asked, tenderly cupping his face in my hand again. He blinked and then nodded, and I smiled at him as I buckled his seat belt. "I gotta grab the keys, one sec." 

I jogged back to the spot I had dropped the keys and snatched them up, also scooping up Monarch's blue fedora, which had been knocked from his head at some point. As I returned to the car, his eyes never left me, following me as I walked around the front of the vehicle to the driver's side.

"Here," I said, handing him his hat as I climbed into the driver's seat. He took it, robotically smoothed his hair and crazy eyebrows back from his face, and settled the fedora low on his head. I started the car up, engaged the jets, and we lifted off into the night sky.

TO BE CONTINUED


	2. Still Falling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW

"So Red Death took Klaw off our hands, just like that?" Monarch asked, as I brought the Morphomobile to a stop on its platform.

"Yep!" I said with a shrug, powering down the car, "I guess Klaw made himself a few enemies, even among other super-villains."

"No surprise there," he replied, undoing his seat belt and exiting the car, "Even super-villains have standards." 

He peeled off his gloves and mask and dropped them into his hat before tossing it onto the worktable nearby. Next, he stripped off his trench coat and jacket, folding them both neatly before laying them on the table next to his hat.

He seemed to have recovered from the fall and from his breakdown following, and as I stripped off my gloves, cap, mask and jacket, I watched him stretch. As usual, my eyes automatically roamed over his long, lithe figure. 

All the way home, we'd made more or less idle chatter. I still hadn't gotten up the nerve to make the confession that was burning through me.

"Twenty-One? Dude, you OK?"

I blinked and focused on his expectant face, and he chuckled at me.

"You were MILES away there, for a moment," he teased, walking by me and patting my arm in passing.

His touch sent a jolt of warmth straight down to my toes, giving me courage, and I closed my eyes to give a quick, silent prayer to the Universe that I wasn't about to ruin my life.

"I'm just gonna apologize in advance for this," I said decisively. I crossed the space between us as he turned to me, grabbed two handfuls of his blue shirt, pulled him to me and kissed him. 

I expected him to freeze up or pull away, to push against me or punch me in the jaw, to reject me. But he didn't. Instead, his lips parted against mine, and welcomed me deeper. His arms came up to wrap around me, pulling me more tightly against his body.

My heart gave an excited lurch, and I moved my hand to cradle the back of his head, running my fingers through his hair, and wrapping my other arm around his waist.

When I thought we were both about to pass out from a lack of air, I broke the kiss and pulled back slightly. Monarch's eyes were huge and dark in the dim light of the cave, his lips reddened from my kiss, and his usually-pale face had a distinct flush to it.

"Damn, dude," he whispered huskily, giving me that adorable, lopsided half-smile that had always made my knees weak, "What's all this about?"

"I love you," I blurted suddenly, surprising myself. Oh, hell. But there it was. 

"Oh yeah?" Monarch's smile widened, one long eyebrow went up. Was he making fun of me?

"I'm sorry," I said, lowering my red face, feeling embarrassed, "I was afraid to tell you, I mean, like, for SO long. But after tonight, I mean, when I thought I'd lost you, and… and… and I just...." 

He cut off my babbling by gently guiding my face back up and pressing his lips over mine again. When we broke apart this time, I just stared at him.

"So," I began uncertainly, "So... you... um… you're OK… with this?" 

He smiled at me. Not mocking or amused, but warm, sweet and tender, and it made me melt.

"My wife figured it out weeks ago," he replied softly, "And, yeah…, we're both OK with it." 

He traced the curve of my ear with his index finger, and it sent a shudder of pleasure down my spine.

"I was just waiting for YOU to be OK with it," he went on, seductively.

That worked for me! I scooped him up and carried him over to the Mercedes to sit him on the hood. He laid back and pulled me down on top of him, our lips never separating by more than an inch. 

His hand slid up to cradle my head, holding my mouth to his as his tongue slid over mine, tickling the roof of my mouth. He sucked my lower lip between his teeth and gently nibbled. I was breathing through my nose, huffing like a locomotive.

I tugged his midnight-blue dress shirt out of his trousers and pushed it up, exposing smooth, pale skin. When I brushed my fingers across his hard, flat stomach, the muscles there contracted in response. 

He moaned into my mouth, tightening his hands in my hair, grinding his crotch against my thigh, and I almost passed out right there from arousal.

Moving down his body, I took hold of his midriff, shaking my head slightly at the fact that I could practically encircle his whole waist with my big hands. For being so skinny, Monarch had a serious set of abs. I'd seen it before, of course; we weren't shy about changing clothes in front of each other…. 

I lowered my face and began covering his stomach with soft kisses, brushing my razor-stubbled chin across his soft, sensitive flesh. 

He moaned again, clasping his hands and stretching his arms back over his head, arching into my touches. I leaned down to skim my lips and tongue across his bellybutton. His abs gave a tell-tale little shudder, and I heard the ghost of a giggle from his throat.

"Uh-oh," I murmured with a grin, as I licked and nuzzled warm, taut, velvety skin, "Somebody's ticklish."

"Don't even think about it," came the husky warning from above, "I will END you."

"Next time," I threatened, smiling, and continued kissing my way across his tummy. I grazed my teeth over one jutting hipbone, then tongued a path across his waist to nibble at its twin. I returned to give one more brief, teasing flick of my tongue across his navel, then moved down his body, following the sparse, reddish scribble of hair that formed a path from his bellybutton to disappear into his trousers.

I unbuckled his belt, whisked it free of the belt loops, and tossed it away. He was pitching an impressive tent at this point, and a fair amount of my own blood was currently residing in my nether region, as well.

As I undid his trousers I glanced up toward his face, looking for any hint of objection. He raised himself up on his elbows to look at me, and I froze.

"I'm sorry," I said, blushing furiously. I had misread the signals... crossed a line….

"Sorry for what?" Monarch chuckled, his face flushed, his voice like molten honey as licked his lips, "I just want to watch you."

Well, damn.

With a lascivious smile, I opened his trousers, freed him from his shorts, and wrapped my thick fingers around him. 

"Ohh shit," he gasped, closing his eyes and tilting his head back.

He was already dripping pre-cum, and I rubbed my thumb over the head of his cock, spreading the natural lubricant down the shaft as it pulsated hotly in my grip. I began a rhythmic stroking, from root to tip, his panting moans of pleasure sending jolts of heat straight to my own crotch.

"What do you want?" I teased, suddenly releasing his dick to lightly ruffle the brick-red curls at its base, "Can you tell me?"

"Y…you," he gasped, twitching his hips up toward me, as if desperate for me to touch him again, "I want… YOU…."

"Want me to what?" I purred, running my fingertips back and forth across his quivering lower belly, enjoying the power I had over him, "I need you to say it."

"Mouth," he squeaked, "Your mouth… please… Gary, please." He pounded his fist on the hood of the car. "PLEASE!"

His pleading, whining, breathless tone almost made me lose it in my pants right there. But I willed it down, and ducked my head to engulf him in my mouth.

"NNNGH!" he growled, through clenched teeth, almost sobbing. 

His hand wove its way into my hair as I bobbed my head, taking his impressive length as deeply as I could without gagging. I pressed my tongue to the underside of his cock, rubbing incessantly, while sucking at the same time. I grazed my teeth ever so slightly against his shaft, and he exploded down my throat.

"Aah… AAH! GARYYYY!!!" he screeched, arching his back on the hood of the car. 

I swallowed him down, then replaced my mouth with my hand, softly stroking him, soothing him, easing him down as he lay there, limp, breathing hard, eyes closed. 

"Holy. Shit," he wheezed, after a minute.

"You OK, there boss man?" I teased, caressing his hip.

He sat up, a sweaty mess, still breathing hard, grabbed my shirt and pulled me in for another kiss. When he came up for air, he pressed his brow against mine, just breathing.

"Dude," he breathed, "That… that was amazing." 

The thought that I had pleased him made my own cock swell with need, and I rubbed myself against his thigh.

"Any other… hidden talents… you wanna tell me about?" he panted, looking up at me with that smile again.

Aaaaaand my body responded to his smile like it usually did. I winced slightly, and shifted my hips to take some pressure off my dick, which was hard as a rock, still. 

"Hey, I don't mean to be crass," I said quietly, "But I need to… you know… to take care of… something."

"OH!" Monarch eyes went wide, "God, dude, I'm sorry! Let me help you with that." 

He grinned seductively as he climbed off the car and directed me to take his place there. I laid back on the hood, across the Morpho logo, and he came to lean over me, one hand on either side of my body.

"Close your eyes," he ordered softly, and I did as I was told, my heart pounding.

He unbuttoned my white shirt and peeled it open, and I shuddered a little as my sweaty skin was exposed to the cool air. A moment later, I felt his fingertips on my chest, raking through the hair. When both his hands settled on my pecs, I gasped a little.

"Nice muscles," he said softly, rubbing me with his palms, "Strong. It's no wonder you can carry me around like it's nothing."

I just swallowed, eyes still closed, trembling as his fingertips brushed over my nipples. It made my whole body tingle. His hands drifted down lower, over my ribs, to rest on my belly.

"Hench… 4… Life," he read, tracing each letter of my tattoo with a fingertip. Then his lips were on my skin, kissing across those blue letters I'd had inked into my skin…. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

At this point it felt like my dick was going to do a Bruce Banner out of my trousers. I was fucking hard enough to cut diamonds…. Monarch seemed to realize that I was uncomfortable, because next thing I knew, my belt was gone and my fly was being unzipped.

"Daaamn, dude…!" Monarch's voice was full of admiration as he freed me from my boxers, and I opened my eyes.

"What?" I said, chuckling a little, "You've seen me naked, before."

"Naked, yeah…, but," he replied, cocking an eyebrow, "Well, you are definitely a grower, not a show-er! Could put an eye out with this thing…."

That struck me funny, and I started laughing. But then his fingers were on me, and my laughter shut off like a switch. I had admired his beautiful hands before, and they felt just as good as I had fantasized they would.

"Ahh… AHH… GAAHHH!!" He worked me over like a musician playing his instrument, and I came way too fast, spraying all over his shirt. He gave an impressed chuckle, gently caressing me as my body eased down from its mind-blowing climax.

"Well somebody's well-hydrated," he murmured, appreciatively, tucking me back into my pants and zipping them up, "Can't wait to try and explain THIS one to Enzo." 

I gave an exhausted laugh, trying to sit up, still dizzy from the lack of blood going to my brain. He wrapped an arm around my back and helped me, then sat beside me on the car. We probably weren't doing the hood any good, but fuck it….

"By the way," Monarch whispered suddenly, leaning close to me, "In case it wasn't obvious…, I love you, too." 

"Wait, what?" I asked, blinking, trying to clear my head. He looked me right in the eye.

"I said," he murmured, "I love you, too."

I stared at him, waiting for my brain to remember how to make words.

"You… you mean that?" I finally uttered, "It's not just the orgasm talking?"

"Gary Fischer," he breathed, "I love you. Completely, totally, and sincerely."

He took my face in his hands, and kissed me deeply. My emotions must have been super-close to the surface, because I suddenly felt the sting of tears in my eyes. It was like wanting something my entire life, and finally getting it, but instead of being a letdown, it was better than I ever imagined…

My throat tightened, and my nose started to run. Sexy as hell… shit. I sniffled, and he pulled back from the kiss to look at me in concern, his brow furrowing.

"Hey," he cooed, pressing his lips against my forehead, "What's up?"

I just shook my head, knowing my voice would break if I tried to speak. He tugged me to rest my cheek against his chest, and held me close, stroking his fingers over my hair. My heart was so full for him…. The tears just came, and I couldn't stop them.

"Shh," he whispered as he held me, rocking me like a child, "Aw, dude… shh… don't…."

"Sorry," I hiccupped tearfully, burying my face in his chest, "I just… I love you so much. I've never felt like this about anyone. Lust, I mean duh, yeah, of course. And I loved Twenty-Four… but you…."

I broke down again, totally ready to die of embarrassment.

"Gary," he murmured, resting his cheek against the top of my head, "I am NOT worth crying over."

"How can you say that?" I asked, pulling back to look up at him, "You're my world, man. I've given you my entire teen and adult life.…"

He suddenly looked terribly remorseful, and I added quickly, "And I'd do it a thousand times over again. No regrets. Dude… I just want you to understand… I'm YOURS."

His face had an expression I'd never seen on him before. Vulnerability. Gratitude. It was as if he understood finally, for the first time in all our years together, how much he meant to me.

"I… I don't know what to say," he stammered, brushing the tears off my cheek with his thumb, "I don't… I mean, I don't feel like I deserve it."

I shrugged, leaning in to kiss him again, long, gentle and tender.

"Love doesn't follow rules," I murmured against Monarch's lips, "It doesn't always make a lot of sense, it isn't predictable. Otherwise they'd call it something else," I pulled back, smiling, brushing his sweaty hair back from his face. 

All the doubt and uncertainty left his face, and he smiled at me again. He folded his arms behind his head and laid back on the hood, and I followed suit. We just lay there in warm, comfortable silence for a minute.

"So," I began, hesitantly, "What happens, now?"

"I suppose we should tell Dr. Mrs. My Wife," Monarch replied.

"Mmm," I said, nodding slightly, "Yeah. You think she's gonna be upset?"

Monarch bust out laughing, and I glared at him, indignantly.

"What's so goddamned funny?" I demanded.

"Dude," he replied, still laughing, "SHE'S the one who figured it out first, remember? She's been after me to tell you, for like a MONTH, now." 

The weirdness of the entire evening finally hit me, and I started to laugh, too.

"And all this happened because… because you fell off a… a fucking building," I guffawed.

"I know, right?" he chortled, wiping tears from his eyes, and sighing in exhaustion, "How is this our life?" 

"No idea," I said, shaking my head, "But I'm looking forward to spending it with you."

"Dream Team?" Monarch whispered, holding up a hand.

"Dream Team," I replied, clasping his hand in mine.

THE END

https://ko-fi.com/morphofan


End file.
